Nujabes
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
hip hop
producer
and DJ who recorded under the name , the reverse spelling of his name in Japanese order. Nujabes was also owner of the Shibuya
record stores, T Records and Guinness Records and founder of the independent label Hydeout Productions
.
In addition to Japanese artists like Uyama Hiroto
, Shing02
and Minmi
, Nujabes collaborated with underground American
hip hop acts CYNE
, Cise Starr (as a solo apart from the hiphop collective CYNE), Apani B
, Five Deez
, Substantial
, CL Smooth
, Terry Callier
, as well as British
rapper Funky DL. He was also a member of the production duo Urbanforest, an experimental collaboration with Nao T. His track "Feather" drew attention from underground hip hop listeners.
Nujabes was one of the most prolific contributors to the background music and soundtracks of Samurai Champloo
, an anime
which blends a feudal Japan setting with modern anachronisms, especially in regard to hip hop culture
.
A distinguishing feature of Nujabes' sound is his incorporation of Jazz samples in his tunes For example, the track "The Final View" on his album Metaphorical Music features the Jazz Standard "Love Theme From Spartacus" by Pianist Barry Harris, as played by Saxophonist Yusef Lateef, sampled over the track. Nujabes incorporates Lateef's head melody on oboe, cuts of his solos, and background piano comping in his piece.
On February 26, 2010, Jun Seba was involved in a traffic accident upon exiting the Shuto Expressway
late at night. He died at a hospital in Shibuya Ward
after failed efforts to revive him. He was 36 years old. There was a private burial with only family in attendance. Hydeout Productions has stated that Nujabes has left behind tracks, which they plan to release in the near future.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and DJ who recorded under the name , the reverse spelling of his name in Japanese order. Nujabes was also owner of the Shibuya
Shibuya, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it has an estimated population of 208,371 and a population density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km²....
record stores, T Records and Guinness Records and founder of the independent label Hydeout Productions
Hydeout Productions
Hydeout Productions is an independent record label formerly run by Japanese hip hop producer, Nujabes.-Discography:*2003: Nujabes - Hydeout Productions 1st Collection*2003: Nujabes - Metaphorical Music*2004: Nujabes - Ristorante NUJABES...
.
In addition to Japanese artists like Uyama Hiroto
Uyama Hiroto
Uyama Hiroto is a Japanese hip-hop producer and DJ and close collaborator of the late Japanese DJ/Producer Nujabes. His style of music is a heavy downtempo/ambient jazz influenced hip-hop. He produced music for the video game Final Fantasy.-Albums:...
, Shing02
Shing02
Shingo Annen , better known by his stage name Shing02, is a Japanese rap artist and producer. Due in part to growing up in Western cities, Shing02 stands as one of the few multilingual rappers from Japan able to compose songs entirely in either Japanese or English...
and Minmi
Minmi
is a Japanese hip-hop, soca, and reggae musician, as well as a singer-songwriter and record producer. She is the first soca artist from Japan. Since 2007, she has been married to , a member of Japanese reggae group Shōnan no Kaze....
, Nujabes collaborated with underground American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hip hop acts CYNE
CYNE (hip hop group)
CYNE is an American hip-hop group originating from Gainesville, Florida. Characterized with a warm and soulful sound influenced by left-field hip-hop, rock, trip-hop and jazz, the group is known for lyrics that range from party boasting to meditations on the philosophy of Rousseau...
, Cise Starr (as a solo apart from the hiphop collective CYNE), Apani B
Apani B
Apani B Fly is an American hip hop emcee.In 1996 her first 12-inch single, “Estragen,” was independently released and shortly followed up by several high-profile guest appearances on projects with Organized Konfusion, Mos Def & Talib Kweli, and Pharoahe Monch...
, Five Deez
Five Deez
Five Deez is an American hip hop group from Cincinnati, Ohio and a part of the Wanna Battle collective, which also includes DJ Hi-Tek, Talib Kweli, Rubix, and Lone Catalysts. The group consists of members: Fat Jon the Ample Soul Physician , Pase Rock , Kyle David , and Sonic...
, Substantial
Substantial (rapper)
Substantial, , is an African-American MC from Prince George's County, Maryland. He released his debut album, To This Union A Sun Was Born, in 2001 as a collaboration with Japanese producer Nujabes...
, CL Smooth
CL Smooth
CL Smooth is an American rapper, poet, and is best known as the vocal half of the hip-hop duo Pete Rock & CL Smooth....
, Terry Callier
Terry Callier
Terrence O. Callier, known as Terry Callier is an American jazz, soul and folk guitarist and singer-songwriter.-Life and career:...
, as well as British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rapper Funky DL. He was also a member of the production duo Urbanforest, an experimental collaboration with Nao T. His track "Feather" drew attention from underground hip hop listeners.
Nujabes was one of the most prolific contributors to the background music and soundtracks of Samurai Champloo
Samurai Champloo
is a Japanese anime series created and directed by Shinichirō Watanabe. It was broadcast in Japan from May 20, 2004 through March 19, 2005 on Fuji TV. Samurai Champloo has earned Watanabe a renowned title in the anime and Japanese television communities...
, an anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
which blends a feudal Japan setting with modern anachronisms, especially in regard to hip hop culture
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
.
A distinguishing feature of Nujabes' sound is his incorporation of Jazz samples in his tunes For example, the track "The Final View" on his album Metaphorical Music features the Jazz Standard "Love Theme From Spartacus" by Pianist Barry Harris, as played by Saxophonist Yusef Lateef, sampled over the track. Nujabes incorporates Lateef's head melody on oboe, cuts of his solos, and background piano comping in his piece.
On February 26, 2010, Jun Seba was involved in a traffic accident upon exiting the Shuto Expressway
Shuto Expressway
is a network of toll expressways in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is operated and maintained by the .Most routes consist of elevated roadway above other roads or over water, and have many sharp curves which require caution to drive safely...
late at night. He died at a hospital in Shibuya Ward
Shibuya, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it has an estimated population of 208,371 and a population density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km²....
after failed efforts to revive him. He was 36 years old. There was a private burial with only family in attendance. Hydeout Productions has stated that Nujabes has left behind tracks, which they plan to release in the near future.
Studio Albums
| Album information |
|---|
| Metaphorical Music Metaphorical Music Metaphorical Music is Nujabes' first solo album. It offers a combination of hip hop and jazz, and features artists like Shing02 , Substantial, Five Deez, and Cise Starr...
|
| Impression
|
| Modal Soul
|
| Spiritual State
|
Anthologies
| Album information |
|---|
| Hydeout Productions 1st Collection Hydeout Productions 1st Collection Hydeout Productions 1st Collection is a compilation album, the first album released by Nujabes' Hydeout Productions. It showcases Nujabes' style of combining the music genres of hip hop and jazz, and features artists Funky DL, Apani B, Substantial, Shing02, L-Universe, Pase Rock, Five Deez, and...
|
| Hydeout Productions 2nd Collection Hydeout Productions 2nd Collection Hydeout Productions 2nd Collection is the followup album to 2003's Hydeout Productions 1st Collection. It is largely produced by Nujabes, with support from features artists CL Smooth, Uyama Hiroto, Clammbon, Substantial, Five Deez, Pase Rock, Emancipator, Shing02, and DSK... |
Single Albums
| Album information |
|---|
Ain't No Mystery
|
| Luv (Sic.) Part 1
|
| Luv (Sic.) Part 2
|
| Lady Brown
|
Compilations
| Album information |
|---|
| Modal Soul Classics Modal Soul Classics Modal Soul Classics is a compilation album from Japanese hip hop producer Nujabes. Though the music on the this album is commonly attributed to Nujabes, none of it is composed by him; the songs on this album were only compiled and mastered by him...
|
| Modal Soul Classics II Modal Soul Classics II Modal Soul Classics II is a tribute compilation album dedicated to the Japanese music producer Nujabes. It is produced by various artists including Uyama Hiroto, Five Deez, Pase Rock, Calm, Zack Austin, Specifics, and clammbon. It's the first album released by Hydeout Productions since Nujabes' death... |
| Ristorante Mixtape NUJABES
|
| Sweet Sticky Thing
|
Production
Substantial - To This Union A Sun Was Born
|
| Pase Rock - Bullshit As Usual
|
| Mellow Beats, Friends & Lovers Mellow Beats, Friends & Lovers Mellow Beats, Friends & Lovers is a compilation album. It is produced by various artists including Uyama Hiroto, Naoki Maeda, Dwele, Golden Boy, Sora, Takagi Masakatsu, Kuniyuki Takahashi, and Rei Harakami... |